New Jersey District Boosts Interactive Whiteboard Population

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 07/11/13

A New Jersey district is escalating its use of interactive whiteboard technology. Winslow Township School District in Atco recently approved the purchase of 110 Mimio MimioBoards and requisite professional development to prepare its elementary schools in time for their September opening. The budget for the whiteboards is about $121,000. Training for teachers, principals, and computer specialists adds another $2,800 to the initiative.

The MimioBoard is an interactive whiteboard with a twist. It comes equipped with a MimioTeach bar, a handheld gadget that can be removed from the side of the whiteboard and used elsewhere to turn a static whiteboard into an interactive one.

This isn't the first set of Mimio products being used by the district. According to Darryl Scott, supervisor of educational technology, teachers already use MimioStudio Classroom software and MimioVote. The MimioStudio software powers other Mimio devices and provides classroom and content management and assessment capabilities. MimioVote is a handset device passed out to students that allows them to take polls and assessments on the fly and enables the teacher to gauge student understanding of the topic being discussed.

"The addition of the MimioBoard made perfect sense not only in terms of empowering our teachers and students with the most relevant interactive technology, but also in light of its comprehensiveness," said Scott. He added that no other product piloted by the district "offered the full package of affordability and ease of use."

Scott noted that the teachers expect to access MimioConnect, an online teaching community that includes lesson plans and activities.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • A teacher and students gather around a glowing crystal ball containing a miniature school building surrounded by clear AI symbols, including holographic interfaces, neural networks, circuits, and data streams

    2025 Predictions: AI's Impact on Education

    What should schools and districts expect from the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence in the coming year? Here's what the experts told us.

  • digital illustration of Estonia with glowing neural network-like connections spreading across the map

    Estonia to Roll Out ChatGPT Edu for all Secondary Schools

    In a nationwide artificial intelligence program dubbed "AI Leap 2025," the country of Estonia plans to provide free access to leading AI applications for all secondary school students and teachers. The initiative will launch with a rollout of ChatGPT Edu to 20,000 high school students in grades 10-11 and their 3,000 teachers, beginning Sept. 1.

  • A middle school student wearing safety goggles and a lab coat uses a microscope in a science lab, surrounded by beakers and test tubes filled with colorful liquids

    2025 Young Scientist Challenge Seeks Students Using Science to Solve Everyday Problems

    The entry period is now open for the 2025 3M Young Scientist Challenge, a science competition from 3M and Discovery Education for students in grades 5-8 recognizing individuals across the United States who have "demonstrated a passion for using science to solve everyday problems and improve the world around them."

  • young child sitting at a table, using a tablet with an AI-generated interface

    Research: 1 in 3 Kids Use AI for Learning

    In a survey of parents with children aged 8 or younger, nearly a third of respondents (29%) said their child has used AI for school-related learning, according to a new report from Common Sense Media.